This invention relates to brackets, and particularly to a bracket that may be mounted in a window or door opening, supported on the door or the wall structure itself, or supported on auxiliary equipment such as a ladder, for the purpose of ejecting smoke-laden air or fumes from a building or other enclosure.
Fans of various types have been used for causing movement of air in a building. In most instances, such fans are not made to handle the capacity of air that is required to be ejected from a burning building or a building full of toxic fumes. Additionally, in most instances such fans are provided with a self supporting stand on which the fan is mounted, generally on a table or on the floor. So far as is known, high capacity fans have not been equipped with a support that permits mounting of the fan assembly in an open doorway, window, or on auxiliary equipment such as a fire ladder. Accordingly, one of the objects of the present invention is to provide a bracket assembly on which may be mounted a fan structure so that the fan and bracket assembly may be supported in an open doorway or window or on auxiliary equipment such as a ladder.
Some doorways and windows are provided with trim pieces on which a piece of equipment may be suspended. Accordingly, one of the objects of this invention is to provide a bracket assembly that may be detachably secured to an opening provided with a trim assembly to form an abutment on which the bracket may be suspended.
Other door openings and window openings are not provided with any kind of trim piece, or if they are provided with a trim piece, the trim piece is frequently recessed so that the wall surrounding the opening provides a flush surface. In these circumstances, it is more difficult to secure a piece of equipment thereto. Accordingly, a still further object of the invention is to provide a clamp assembly for clamping a supporting bar to the wall structure surrounding such an opening, and on which a fan supporting bracket assembly may in turn be suspended.
Frequently, when a fire department responds to a fire, it is imperative that the smoke generated within the building by the fire be ejected in the shortest possible time. Accordingly, another object of this invention is the provision of a bracket assembly for an ejector fan that may be quickly attached to the wall structure in the vicinity of an opening.
It is also important when mounting a smoke ejector fan such as the one forming the subject matter of this invention that the fan assembly be readily adjustable in its position on the bracket assembly supporting it. Accordingly, another object of the invention is the provision of a bracket assembly for suspending a smoke ejector fan such that the fan assembly may be adjusted in position on the bracket without dislodging the bracket from its supporting structure.
The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be apparent from the following, description and the drawings. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the embodiment illustrated and described, since it may be embodied in various forms within the scope of the appended claims.